A Voice From Above
by HiatusMaster
Summary: A girl with an unmatched talent for Duel Monsters lives day to day in a world where card games are just card games. Rated T for mild language. OCxOC


It was all I ever knew how to do.

While all the other girls talked about music, or guys they were into, or the new trend that was sweeping around town, all I had was Duel Monsters. It was so much easier than talking to other people. Life Points, combos, new sets, archetypes, the local deck trends… It just seemed easier.

I won local tournament after local tournament. I'd take first over and over again, much to the chagrin of everyone else who frequented the various comic book stores and game shops around town. Winning was nice, but it wasn't everything for me. What I really wanted was the thrill that came with playing against a good opponent. What cards should I use here? Which Extra Deck monsters got me out of this jam? As I got better, that thrill became harder and harder to find. I'd end up driving out for miles to new card shops and places I had never been, just so I could find someone who could rival me and my deck. Aside from Duel Monsters, my social life was nil; but I didn't care. All I wanted was that thrill, it was like my drug.

Two years after I started playing the game, I got first at the regional tournament in my area and with it, an invite to Nationals. I played against some of the best people I had ever met there, and it was the most fun I had had with the game yet. Anticipating an even better set of games at Nationals, I spent day and night perfecting my deck.

In the end, I ended up representing the country at Worlds, and placing fourth overall. Imagine, a girl, fourth in the world at Duel Monsters.

When I returned to my hometown, I was the object of nothing but negative attention. Guys hit on me day and night before I became one of the world's eight best players (as any girl who plays Yu-Gi-Oh would be), and after I got fourth, they did so with a frequency that could only be considered harassment. I was an outcast to the girls at my school, only known as "the weirdo chick with the card game fetish."

It was certainly enough to put me down, but I refused to stop dueling. I couldn't get enough of that thrill, that amazing feeling that made me think about every combination; every possibility.

I'm surprised I still had a friend at all.

"Pleaseeeeeeeeeeee? Pretty please?" "No." "Come onnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!"

My best (and only) friend, Eri, was currently attempting to get me to go on a double date with some guys she had met on Facebook.

Dates were bad. Dates were very bad. The last time I had attempted to go on a date, I had gotten my hopes up and thought that it would be nice if I had a boyfriend. Big mistake. I had a good figure, a cute face (or so I'm told), and an ok fashion sense (thanks to Eri), but I was a horrible conversationalist. Absolutely dreadful. The poor guy looked like he wanted to kill himself after about five minutes of sitting at our restaurant table in semi-awkward semi-silence.

Ever since then, I swore to not date with a passion.

"Pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! He plays Duel Monsters! You like that game, right?"

My ears perked up. Although I was a little sick of the legions of creepy guys looking to score one with the Duel Monsters chick, the guys Eri picked out were usually top-quality. Maybe he was even good at the game? Plus, I did owe her… She took so much crap from everyone else just for talking to me.

"All right, I'll go." I said finally, after debating internally with the new information. "Yes! I knew that would work."

And that was that.

We got to the restaurant a little late; Eri had given me a loan on a nice little blue dress. It complemented my black hair and blue eyes. Not that I cared… I had never really been one for appearance. Eri was jealous of my height and slim figure, but I wasn't really attached to it.

The guys showed up, and I sized up my date as he walked in. Average build, average height. A little shorter than me. He was nice-looking though; the guy was grinning madly as we walked to the table, telling his friend all about how he was going to "school" his date. Heh.

When we got to the table, he immediately started with "So, you ready to play or what?"

I was a tad confused. He wanted to play in the restaurant?

"Yeah, come on, play him! He's been telling me about how he's going to wipe the floor with you all day!" Eri's date encouraged.

I sighed inwardly. I liked a duel more than anyone, but there's a time and place for such things. Regardless, I whipped my deck out of my purse, and we began…

[B]Alice[/B] [B]Benji[/B]

[B]8000[/B] [B]8000[/B]

"Heh, you can start off, but it won't matter. I'll crush ya!"

My date seemed confident enough.

[B]Alice Turn One[/B]

I drew into almost all of the pieces I needed for a combo in my opening hand, but I was one short. I set Reckless Greed and Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, and ended my turn.

[B]Alice[/B] [B]Benji[/B]

[B]8000[/B] [B]8000[/B]

[B]Benji Turn One[/B]

"Hahaha, not even a monster? You're wide open!"

I looked at the field, and contemplated all the combinations of cards could One Turn Kill me through a Phoenix Wing Wind Blast…

"I summon Celtic Guardian(Level 4 ATK/1400 DEF/1200), in Attack Mode!"

…or maybe not.

"I attack your Life Points directly!"

[B]Alice[/B] [B]Benji[/B]

[B]6600[/B] [B]8000[/B]

Celtic fucking Guardian…?

"With that, I end my turn. Your go! But you can't top that; I already took a huge lead!"

His buddy was whooping it up, and my date seemed SO happy that he had damaged me. Already chalking it up as a win for himself. He didn't even set any cards. I sighed inwardly. Of course he wasn't good at Duel Monsters; why would he be? I might as well finish this now; I wasn't really going to enjoy it anyways.

[B]Alice Turn Two[/B]

I didn't draw into any of the cards I needed to finish the combo. So, I decided to flip over Reckless Greed to improve my odds.

"I activate Reckless Greed to draw two cards from my deck."

…Here we go.

"I special summon Hieratic Dragon of Tefnuit (Level 6 ATK/2100 DEF/1400) in attack mode. I can special summon this card when you control monsters and I don't. Then, I tribute Hieratic Dragon of Tefnuit to special summon Hieratic Dragon of Su (Level 6 ATK/2200 DEF/1000) from my hand in attack mode. Hieratic Dragon of Su can be special summoned by tributing a Hieratic monster I control. Furthermore, Hieratic Dragon of Tefnuit's effect activates."

My date looked like he was at a loss for words, but I continued on anyways. The sooner we finished, the sooner I could stop playing a card game at the table in a fancy restaurant.

"When Hieratic Dragon of Tefnuit is tributed, I can special summon a Dragon-type normal monster from my hand, deck, or graveyard. I special summon Labradorite Dragon (Level 6 ATK/0 DEF/2400) from my deck in defense mode. Then, I tribute my Hieratic Dragon of Su to special summon another Hieratic Dragon of Su from my hand in attack mode. Furthermore, Hieratic Dragon of Su's effect activates. When Hieratic Dragon of Su is tributed, I can summon a Dragon-type normal monster from my hand, deck, or graveyard. I special summon a second Labradorite Dragon in defense mode from my deck."

Benji looked a little horrified. Maybe he had bet money on this or something…?

"I overlay my two Labradorite Dragons to Xyz summon Hieratic Dragon King of Atum (Rank 6 ATK/2400 DEF/2100). I then activate Hieratic Dragon King of Atum's effect: By detaching an Xyz material from it, I can special summon a Dragon-type monster from my deck; however, that monster's attack and defense become zero. I detach and special summon another Hieratic Dragon of Su. Then, I overlay my Hieratic Dragon of Sus into a second Hieratic Dragon King of Atum. I detach from that Atum, to special summon Blaster, Dragon Ruler of Infernos from my deck (Level 7 ATK/2800 DEF/1800 - Modified to ATK/0 DEF/0). Then, I banish two Dragon-type Monsters from my graveyard to special summon Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls (Level 7 ATK/2600 DEF/2000) from my hand. I then overlay Blaster and Tidal, my level 7 dragons, into Number 11: Big Eye (Rank 7 ATK/2600 DEF/2000)."

By the look on his face, I could only assume he had seen Big Eye somewhere before.

"I activate Big Eye's effect. By detaching one Xyz material, I take control of one of your monsters. I take Celtic Guardian. Then, I banish two Dragon-type monsters from my graveyard to special summon Blaster, Dragon Ruler of Infernos. And then I Xyz change both of my Hieratic Dragon King of Atums into Gaia Dragon, the Thunder Chargers (Rank 7 ATK/2600 DEF/2100 x2). Gaia Dragon, the Thunder Charger can be Xyz summoned by using rank 5 or 6 monsters as the Xyz material. I attack you directly with all of my monsters aside from Number 11: Big Eye."

[B]Alice[/B] [B]Benji[/B]

[B]6600[/B] [B]0[/B]

…That was short lived.

Benji started cursing immediately, and I decided to never play Duel Monsters on a date again. The rest of the night was far from pleasant, as Benji did nothing but complain about losing. ...Sometimes, I hate the world.


End file.
